Toy windmill



July 28, 1931. M, MORTON 1,816,229

TOY WINDMILL Filed March 31, 1930 INVENTOR MO/PT/MER MoRmv ATTORNEYPatented July 28, 1931 UNITED starts PATENT OFFICE MORTIMER MORTON, OFLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA TOY WINDMILL Application filed March 31, 1930.Serial No. 440,318.

My invention relates to a toy windmill, and the objects of thisinvention are: first, to provide a toy windmill apparatus having avane-wheel adapted to be driven by the wind and having in connectiontherewith a jointed figure, such as the figure of a person which isoperatively connected with the vane-wheel in such manner thatthe jointedfigure will appear to be rotating the vane-wheel when the latter is infact rotated by the wind; secnd, to provide'an apparatus of this classin which the several members of the jointed figure are pivoted wlthrespect to eac'h'other by a crank meanscarried by the apparatus and inwhich the crank means is rotated readily "seen, the

5 rotated by a high wind; third, to provide a structure of this class inwhich thejointed figure is relatively large and positioned considerablyto one side so that the same is not materially 0 members of theapparatus, particularly by the vane-wheel when the same is rotated;fourth, to provide a novel crank construction a for an apparatus of thisclass; fifth, to provide as afiwhole a novelly windmill apparatus; and,sixth, to provi e an apparatus of the class which is very simple andeconomical of construction, durable, and which will not readilydeteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and. arrangement of parts and portions, as will behereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in theapp-ended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings andto the characters of reference thereon which form a part of thisapplication inwhich:

Figure 1 is a frontelevational view of my obscured from view by theother constructed to toy windmill in one form'of construction, showingfragmentally the supporting means therefor; Fig. 2 is a side elevationalview thereof; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof, takenthrough 3-3 of Fig; 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken through45-4 of Fig. 2; and,'Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar tothat shown in Fig. 3 but of a slightly modified form of construction. 1

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout theviews of the drawings.

The operating members of my windmill, as shown in the drawings, aremounted upon a rotatable supporting means which is supported at theupper end of a preferably verti' cal support 1.. The-supporting means,inthis instance, consists of a horizontal support 2 and a pair of uprights3 and 4, one of the uprights extending upwardly from'each end of thehorizontal support 2. I This horizontal support is rotatably mountedintermediate its ends, by means of a pin 5 or other suitable means, onthe upperend of the vertical support 1, there being preferably provideda air of washers 6 and 7 between the under side of the horizontalsupport 2 and the vertical support 1, as shown in'Figs. 1 and 2, toprovide stability and wear. v

The vane-wheel, designated 11, is shown as made of sheet metal and isformed of one piece of sheet metal. In this instance, I have I shown aplurality of vanes 11a which are formed at the endsof arms 115,:the armsbeing reinforced by turningthe edges of the arms inwardly, forminginwardly extending flanges 110, said arms also forming part of the innerends and axial portion of the vanes for reinforcing the same, as shown.At the axial portion, of the vane-wheel and between the flanges 110 maybe secured a bushing or hub 12 forsecuring the vane-wheel to The shaft13, in this instance, is

a shaft 13.

on both of the uprights 8 rotatably mounted and 4 and intermediate theends thereof. The

shaft 13 maybe held against longitudinal movement relative totheuprlghts by means of a collar 1 1, securedatthe outer upright 3, anda small spur gear 15 secured side of the, I

to the shaft at the opposite side of the upright 3 from the collar 14.

At the upper ends of the uprights are provided journals for rotatablysupporting the crank means. The crank means in this instance consists ofa pair i crank members 18 and 17, the former being mounted on theupright 3 and the latter on the upright l. The crank or throw portions16a and 17a of these crank members are aligned, as shown in Figs. 2, 3and 5, and are connected with each other by a sleeve 18. On the crankmember 16, around its axis of rotation, is secured a gear 19 whichmeshes with and is driven by the gear 15, the latter being considerablysmaller than the former for reducing the speed of the crank means fromthat of the vane-wheel.

The jointed figure, above referred to, consists, in this instance, ofthe figure of a man. This figure is made essentially of five members,namely, a pair of members 21, a body member 22, and arm members 23. Theleg members are secured in spaced apart re .1 ion to the horizontalsupport 2 preferably at the opposite sides of its pivotal connectionwith the vertical supp rt 1. These leg members extend angularly from andto one side of the horizontal support, shown in Fig. 1. The body member22 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the extended ends of theleg members and between the same, permi ting the body member or thetorso of the man, including the head, to move back and forth. The armmembers 23 are positioned at the opposite sides of the body member andpivotally connected thereto at their outer ends at the shoulder portionsof the body members. The other, or hand, ends of the arm members arepivotally connected to the sleeve 18. As the crank means is rotated thehand ends of the arms move in a circular path, causing the upper portionof the body member to move back and forth and to give the appearance ofthe crank being rotated by the man or any other figure mounted in therelation described above.

Intermediate the ends of the upright support 4 is secured a horizontalsupportQG which extends to one side in alignment with the axis ofrotation of the vaneqvlieel. To the extended end of the horizontalsupport 26 is secured a rudder 27 for directing the vanewheel into thewind. I

In the modified structure shown in 5, the vane-wheel is connecteddirectly to the crank member 16 at its axis of rotation, that is,coincident with the axis of rotation, the reduction gears being omittedin this instance. With this construction, the members of the figure movemuch more rapidly.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement of parts and portions, and a certain application thereofto toys and a certain modification thereof, 1 do not wish to be limitedto this particular construction, combination and arrangement, nor to theparticular application, nor to the modification, but desire to includein the scope of my invention the construction, combination andarrangementsubstantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln an apparatus of the class described, ota ably mounted horizontalsupport, a r o uprights rigidly secured at and to ends of said supportand proper ends with horizontally ournals, crank member rotatably men ineach 0" said journals with the rain; potions of each in alignment witheach other, means for holdings .i l crank poriignment, a vane-wheeloperatively to one of the crank members, a ired tcrmediate the ones ofthe aid ends of said or i- .cmbers.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, rotatably mounted horizontalsupport, a pair uprights rigidly secured at and to the oppo e ends ofsaid support and provided at their upper ends with horizontally disposedjournals, crank means rotatably mounted in the journals and havingathrow portion interm-ediate the upr' its, vanewheel rotatably mountedintermediate the ends of the uprights with its axis of rotation parallelto the axis of rotation of the crank means, reduction gears connectingthe vane-wheel with crank means, a rudd r carried by one of the uprightsopposite the side at which. the vaneavheel positioned, and pivot-allyjointed figure mounted on the support and pivotally connected with thethrow portion of the crank means.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a main vertical support, ahorizontal support rotatably mounted thereon intermediate its ends, apivota -ly jointed figure sup iorted on said support directly over saidmain vertical support, a pair of uprights positioned on the extendedends of said rotatable support and provided at their upper ends withjournal portions, a rncder rigidly secured to one of the uprights, acrank means rotatably mounted in said journal portions and operativelyconnected. with said pivotally jointed figure, a vane-wheel positionedat one side of the other upright opposite said rudder, and gearsoperativeiy connecting said vane-wheel with said crank means.

4-. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting means rotatableabout a vertical axis, a crank means rotatably mounted thereon on anaxis at a right angle'to the rotating axis of the supporting means, avanewheel rotatably mounted on the supporting means with its axis ofrotation at a right angle to the rotating vertical axis of thesupporting means, gears operatively connecting the vane-wheel with thecrank means, a jointed figure supported by the supporting means andoperatively and pivotally connected to the crank portion of the crankmeans, and a rudder carried by the supporting means in substantialvertical alignment with the axis of rotation of the vanewheel.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting means rotatableabout a vertical axis, a crank means rotatably mounted thereon on anaxis at a right angle to the rotating axis of the supporting means, a

vane-wheel rotatably mounted on the supporting means with its axis ofrotation at a right angle to the rotating vertical axis of thesupporting means, reduction gears operatively connecting the vane-wheelwith the crank means, a jointed figure supported by the supporting meansand operatively and pivotally connected to the crankportion of the crankmeans, and a rudder carried by the supporting means in substantialvertical alignment with the axis of rotation of the vane-wheel.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting means rotatableabout a vertical axis, a crank means rotatably mounted thereon on anaxis at a right angle to therotating axis of the supporting means, avane-wheel rotatably mounted on the supporting means, the axis ofrotation of the vane-wheel parallel to the axis of rotation of the crankmeans, reduction gears operatively connecting the vane-wheel with thecrank means, a jointed figure supported by the supporting means andoperatively and pivotally connected to the crank portion of the crankmeans, and a rudder carried by the supporting means in substantialvertical alignment with the axis ofrotation of the vane-wheel.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting means rotatableabout a vertical axis, a crank means rotatably mounted thereon, a vanewheel rotatably mounted on the supporting means with its axis ofrotation substantially transversely to the rotating vertical axis of thesupporting means, gears operatively connecting the vane-wheel with thecrank means, a jointed figure supported by the supporting means andopera tively and pivotally connected to the crank portion of the crankmeans, and a rudder carried by the supporting means at the opposite sideof the vertical axis from the vane wheel.

In testimony whereof,'I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California.

MORTIMER MORTON.

